Geocaching, a tool to support environmental education!?– An explorative study

Abstract

This article focuses on an increasingly popular idea: geocaching in combination with environmental education. The author will look at possible ways in which geocaching can be optimally used within environmental education. In the theoretical part, the author first defines environmental education and then examines the current discussion at the interface of geocaching and environmental education. Out of the theoretical part, the following questions arise: Which specific characteristics of a geocaching route might be useful for environmental education? What are the specific characteristics of a cache which might be suitable for environmental education? To answer these questions, the author used a qualitative interview study. In the findings section, the results of the interviews will be presented. Some of the different opportunities to use geocaching within the realm of environmental education will be discussed. Finally, the author will present some ideas on how investigations in this area might progress in future.

Congresos - GeoAlicante 2015 - Libro de Actas

“…Como consecuencia, competencias en geomedia y la interpretación de las informaciones digitales tienen cada vez más importancia. (Zecha, 2012), especialmente en el área de la educación ambiental. Hasta ahora no hay ninguna definición para el término "ruta educativa GPS ".…”

Mutual Impacts of Geocaching and Natural Environment

“…In this sense, he argues that when following rules, geocaching may be regarded as nondamaging activity (Kovář, 2013). Zecha (2012) focuses on possible ways of how geocaching is to be optimally used in the ecological education. Ihamäki (2007) strives to describe the forms of interaction within the international game and, in addition, describes how to use geocaching as a new educational approach in schools.…”

Using Mobile Devices in Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development—Comparing Theory and Practice in a Nation Wide Survey

“…Kremer and colleagues [10] as well as Lai et al [11] also highlight motivational aspects using mobile devices during outdoor education activities and Uzunboylu et al [12] foster smartphone-moderated activities (taking and sharing pictures of local environmental blights) to increase awareness of environmental concerns. In an explorative study, Zecha [5] conducted expert interviews about problems and potentials of geocaching routes in EE and she concludes "the best and most effective method with regards to environmental education is when pupils create their own geocaching route" (p. 185). Geocaching has been a precursor for a location-based game.…”

“…Mobile electronic devices (MED) like cell phones, smartphones, PDAs or tablet PCs, as well as handheld GPS navigation devices could facilitate access to remote or interesting locations (cf. [5]) and increase interaction with the natural environment. Sharples and colleagues [6] and Brown [7] describe the potential of mobile contextual learning settings to enable "people individually and together, to create and maintain their own rich contexts for learning" [8] (p. 6).…”

“…Recent research results highlight the role of mobile devices as additional tools and facilitators in a pedagogical and methodological well-designed learning environment to reach EE and ESD goals [5,24], as well as to achieve more self-determined, learner-centered and collaborative learning [25,26].…”